Fort Lauderdale financial advisor sentenced to 20 years for $94 million international investment fraud scheme

Date: Feb. 5, 2026

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

MIAMI – A Fort Lauderdale financial advisor was sentenced Monday to 240 months in federal prison for operating a decades-long international investment fraud scheme that defrauded international investors — primarily Venezuelan nationals — of more than $94 million.

U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra imposed the sentence on Andrew Hamilton Jacobus who previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering.

“This was a $94 million international fraud built on lies and broken trust,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant preyed on families, professionals, and faith-based institutions across our community and beyond. At 64 years old, he was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. That sentence reflects the real harm to victims and sends a clear message: sophisticated financial fraud will be exposed and punished in South Florida.”

“Greed was Jacobus’s greatest tool — paired with a computer and a phone, it fueled a scheme that stole millions and shattered lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office. “IRS Special Agents will continue to work tirelessly to uncover financial fraud and deliver justice to victims.”

According to court records, Jacobus falsely portrayed himself as a seasoned financial advisor managing legitimate investment portfolios while misappropriating investor funds for personal use and to pay purported returns to earlier investors in classic Ponzi-scheme fashion.

After completing his education in engineering, Jacobus began a career in finance in the early 1990s. Over the years, he solicited funds through entities under his control, including Kronus Financial Corporation and Finser International Corporation, promising investors access to secure investment products and high yield returns. In reality, Jacobus forged account statements, falsified financial documentation, and diverted client funds to support a lavish personal lifestyle and unrelated business ventures.

Jacobus victimized more than 150 investors whose combined investments exceeded $90 million. His scheme spanned multiple continents, with victims located in South Florida, Venezuela, and Spain. Among those defrauded were lawyers, doctors, members of the Venezuelan Archdiocese, former employees, and members of his own family.

More than 20 victims appeared in court for the sentencing hearing, with an additional 80 victims participating remotely.

U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Loecker made the announcement.

IRS-CI, Florida Field Office, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitch Hyman is handling asset forfeiture.

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 19 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.